A Christian missionary and his daughter were killed Monday morning when their small plane, loaded with hurricane relief supplies bound for Jamaica, crashed into a pond in a South Florida neighborhood.
According to The Associated Press, Ignite the Fire Ministries identified the victims as its founder, Alexander Wurm, 53, and his daughter Serena Wurm, 22. The pair were on a humanitarian mission to deliver aid to communities devastated by Hurricane Melissa, a Category 5 storm that struck Jamaica late last month.
The Beechcraft King Air went down shortly after taking off from Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport around 10:14 a.m., according to authorities.
The aircraft crashed in a residential area of Coral Springs, narrowly missing several homes before plunging into a pond. Police and fire rescue teams arrived within minutes, but both Wurm and his daughter were pronounced dead at the scene. No other casualties were reported.
In a heartfelt statement, Ignite the Fire Ministries called the Wurms “passionate servants of Christ” whose work across the Caribbean inspired countless others. “Together, their final journey embodied selflessness and courage, reminding us of the power of service and love,” the organization said. “Rest in peace, Alexander and Serena — your light endures in all whose lives you changed.”
Federal Aviation Administration records show the 1976 turboprop was registered to International Air Services, a company that facilitates aircraft ownership for non-U.S. citizens. A company representative declined to comment on the crash.
On social media, Wurm had recently celebrated acquiring the aircraft for his ministry’s relief efforts. “I’ve been a pilot since 2005 and I felt that the Ignite ministry should have a missions airplane if it wanted to effectively bless the Caribbean!” he wrote in a post dated Nov. 2. Calling it “perfect for the mission,” Wurm said the plane was ready “just in time” to deliver generators, batteries, and building materials to Jamaica.
Flight records show the aircraft had completed several aid trips to and from Jamaica in the past week.
The National Transportation Safety Board and Coral Springs Police Department are investigating the crash, with officers maintaining a heavy presence at the site on Tuesday.
Broward County’s Caribbean American community, deeply connected to the storm’s aftermath, has continued organizing relief efforts — a cause the Wurms gave their lives pursuing.
